


the date from a bidding auction

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, One Shot, Tumblr Prompt, jily au, most of this was written at midnight so enjoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23854015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lily didn't actually expect to win anything at a silent bid, let alone a date. She just hoped this guy wasn't a creep, because Marlene's forcing her to go.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37





	the date from a bidding auction

**Author's Note:**

> i don't own any of the characters and the situation is from a tumblr prompt  
> also i used wayyyy too many italics in this but its too late to change that

Lily gaped as Marlene cackled beside her. Her name. _Her_ name. They’ve called _her_ name. This has _got_ to be a joke. Lily pulled herself together, smiled and walked up to a tall woman with dark grey hair and accepted the card.

“Marlene I’m going to kill you.” She hissed when she sat back down.

“I can’t believe you _actually_ won.”

“I reiterate _I’m going to kill you_.”

“I mean I knew adding some money to your bid would increase the chances but…”

“I’m really going to miss you, you know, after your _funeral.”_ Lily fumed in disbelief as Marlene continued to laugh uncontrollably. She had been dragged to this silent bid auction for charity as Marlene’s plus one but she had never expected to bet on something let alone _win it._ But no, Marlene decided it was time for Lily to ‘get back in the field’ so she bid for her on a _date._

“It’s not like I’m gonna go, so you can stop laughing.” That did, in fact, sober Marlene up quickly.

“What are you talking about, Lils? You have to go!”

“No, I don’t. He’s probably some creep, anyway.”

“Lily you _have_ to go, and if it’s the worst date ever… I’ll buy you ice cream _whenever you want_.” Lily weighed her options as she sipped her champagne. This auction wasn’t dodgy at all, she digressed, and it was very high end and full of Marlene’s friends from the law firm she worked at. The likelihood of this guy being a creep wasn’t _that_ high and, she thought its _ice cream._ She has a severe weakness for Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough.

“Fine.” Lily sighed and Marlene squeaked in excitement, “But I expect copious amounts of cookie dough if this goes badly, which I’m confident it will.”  
Marlene just smirked, “I don’t know, Lils, I’ve got a good feeling about this one.”

Lily rolled her eyes and sipped her drink again, she had a feeling this was a bad idea.

000

This was a _terrible_ idea. Marlene had forced her to wear her favorite satin green camisole and black jeans and Lily went over her escape plan, if this guy was an absolute psychopath, once again in her head. She pushed open the door to the fancy Italian place it had listed on the auction card, which was helpfully in walking distance from Lily and Marlene’s flat. It was very high end and Lily felt a little intimidated by some of the looks the waiters were giving her.

“Um, hello, I think it’s under the reservation for Evans?”

“Of course, miss, he’s waiting for you right this way.” The waitress smiled falsely and it made Lily gulp a little. When she finally looked up at her table, to rate the man from normal to i-should-call-the-police, she was _surprised._

Sitting there was a man around her age who was wearing black suit trousers and a white dress shirt. He was running his hand nervously through his black hair and adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses. She smiled at the nervous tic, and blinked a little in surprise, maybe Marlene was right. She sat down a little warily and the man across from her sat up straight.

“Hi. I’m Lily Evans.” He was gazing at her, his mouth parting a little in shock and Lily flushed under his stare.

“Oh! Sorry, I’m James. James Potter.”

She smiled and held out her hand, which he shook, his palm was calloused but firm and _Lily you’re staring at a stranger’s hands._ “Nice to meet you.” She managed finally.

“And you, I don’t know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t this.”

Lily laughed lightly, “Outside I was planning my escape for when I met a psychopath, so I know how you feel.”

“Well, how do you know I’m _not_ a psychopath?” James smirked at her and leaned back a bit in his chair.

“Lucky guess?”

“Guess? You _did_ bid on me.”

Lily dropped her face in her hands. “Oh God, don’t remind me. And for the record, it was my friend Marlene who did the _actual_ bidding. I just won.”

“Well I’m _glad_ you won.” Lily blushed at the comment. “So what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a doctor.”

“Pretty _and_ smart? You might just be the whole deal, Evans.” Lily blushed again _why does her skin do that so obviously? “_ What kind of doctor?”

“I’m a cardiothoracic surgeon, so heart, chest and lungs,”

“Ah, so you mend broken hearts.” He said faux-dramatically.

She rolled her eyes and asked, “What about you?”

“I’m a barrister.”

“I would make a comment like ‘handsome _and_ smart’ but from what I can tell your ego does _not_ need inflating.” She teased.

“You wound me, Evans.”

“Seriously though, that’s impressive.” James looked sheepish at her compliment and scratched the back of his neck, which seemed to make him _more_ attractive in her eyes. At that point the judgemental waitress appeared and snootily asked for their drinks, they ordered and after she left, James turned to Lily.

“Do you wanna go someplace else? This place is a little…”

“Yes, _please._ ” Lily and him paid for their drinks and walked along the main road to a burger joint a little further down.

“Now, _this,_ is more my kind of food.” Lily’s mouth watered at the menu as they slid into a neon-lighted booth and she looked up to see James grinning at her.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“ _James.”_

_“Lily.”_

She rolled her eyes but smiled at the stupid retort and a waiter came up to take their orders, which they placed and waited.

“I _love_ this place’s curly fries, they are the best in the world, _hands down._ ”

“Well, Evans, don’t get my expectations too high because the way you’re going on about these fries they must be God-tier.”

“What can I say? They’re the best, I come here all the time with Marlene.”

“Marlene…she works at the law firm, right?” He asked.

“Yeah, I live with her as well, do you know her?”

“Umm…kind of.” He sounded hesitant.

“How?”

He ran his hand through his hair, “Well, you know the hosts of these charity things?” She nodded, “They’re my mum and dad.” Lily started a little but schooled her expression.

“Well that’s really cool. They do a lot of good work, you should be proud.”

James reddened a little, “Yeah, I am. Anyway, what do your parents do?”

Lily gulped, well, this will be awkward, “Oh, um, they died a couple years back in a car accident.” She tried to say it dismissively so he wouldn’t feel bad but she still caught the pained expression that flitted across his face.

“I’m so sorry.” He said sincerely.

“It’s okay, not your fault.” She thinks he could tell that she didn’t want to talk about it any longer and he launched into a story about his brother, Sirius, and the pranks they used to pull at school. She was almost crying with laughter by the end of it and would later mentally thank him for the distraction.

They polished off their burgers as they arrived and James walked her back to her house, their knuckles kept brushing until Lily just slotted her hand, nervously into his. He immediately interlaced their fingers together and grinned down at her. _He looks even more handsome now_ ; she thought and then mentally berated herself for acting like a school child.

“Well, I mean, when someone asks to auction your charming abilities off, you might as well do it.” He continued.

“ _Charming abilities?”_

“What are you trying to say, Evans? Are my charming abilities not intact?”

She bumped his shoulder with hers and grinned ruefully, “Honestly, Potter, what _is_ going on up there?” She tapped the side of his head a little and he smiled back at her.

“Well, this is my building.” She nodded up to her apartment and turned around to look at James.

“I had a really nice time tonight.” She smiled, softly.

“As did I, Evans.”

“ _As did I?_ You are so—.” He cut her teasing off by kissing her. Lily responded immediately and curled her hands in his hair, his lay on her hips. She opened her mouth to deepen the kiss and _she was pretty sure she could get used to this._ When they eventually pulled away for air, cheeks flushed and hair mussed, they simultaneously grinned.

“Can I have your number then, Evans?” He asked but sounded breathless, she laughed a little before putting hers into his phone. Lily went onto her tiptoes, because he has quite a bit of height on her, and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before hugging him.

“Goodnight, James.”

“Goodnight, Lily.”

Lily made her way up the stairs, grinning like a madman and almost forgot about Marlene until she was hounded with questions.

“Marlene, _calm down.”_

“I will… but do I owe you any ice cream.”

Lily paused and blushed, “No.” She said in a small voice.

“Yes! Because I’m gonna be real, cookie dough _sucks.”_

Lily gasped, “You take that back!” Marlene and her laughed but it was interrupted by a text.

**james:** knock knock

 **lily:** who’s there

this is going to be some stupid joke, isn’t it?

 **james:** what when

and stupid? _offended_

 **lily:** what when who?

 **james:** a date, saturday night, u and me

 **lily:** that was exceptionally bad

i suspected a pick up line but your charming abilities can’t do any better?

 **james:** that was an amazing pick up line

you know it, evans

 **lily:** okay fine

where on saturday?

**_[james potter calling]_ **

“I really expected more from your pick up line skills.” Lily answered the call with.

“Ahh, but I got the girl so it’s a _winning_ line, isn’t it?” She could _hear_ his grin.

“I suppose so.”

“Well, Evans, we all knew you couldn’t resist my charm.” She laughed a little.

“I thought you were asking me out?”

“Ah yes,” He cleared his throat and put on a presenter voice, “I bid a tenner on a movie night with a _lovely_ redhead.”

“Am I never going to live this auction thing down?”

“ _Never.”_


End file.
